One last hurdle, Harmsen competes at US Nationals
Felix Carreon
Daily Sports WriterJune 25th, 2009
Last year, then-redshirt junior Dan Harmsen sat in the stands, eagerly taking in the action of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.
But this year Harmsen was in the middle of the action, competing against some of the very same athletes he watched a year ago at the U.S. Track and Field Nationals, June 25 - 28.
Harmsen finished 17th in the preliminaries of the 400-meter hurdles at the historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity," Harmsen said. "It was so cool to be there with the best athletes, not only in the nation but the world."
Racing against NCAA champion Jeshua Anderson of Washington State University and runner-up Johnny Dutch of South Carolina, Harmsen had to quickly adapt to the faster pace. Through five hurdles, he was among the leaders, but a technical error led to a loss of momentum and a lost spot in the semifinals.
As Harmsen was heading into the final 100 meters, he cleared the eighth hurdle but was forced to change his step pattern. The slip-up caused him to hurdle with his non-dominant leg and lose some ground on the field, finishing sixth in the heat.
But Harmsen's journey to Eugene began long before he arrived in Ann Arbor.
In 6th grade, Harmsen traveled to the University of Washington to compete in the U.S. National Junior Olympics — an experience he shared with his father, Mark Harmsen, who competed for the Michigan track and cross country teams. The elder Harmsen videotaped not only his son's performance in the race but everything from his entrance into the stadium to his pre-race warmups. Harmsen competed in the pentathlon — which consists of the 100-meter hurdles, shot-put, high jump, long jump and 1500-meter run — all at the age of 12.
The meet provided him with his first taste of the national track and field circuit.
And as he did 10 years ago, Mark Harmsen took in every moment as he watched his son compete in what would be his final race at the U.S. Nationals last month.
"It was more emotional for him," Dan Harmsen said. "It hasn't really hit me that I'm never going to be running track again."
Harmsen will leave the University with honors ranging from Big Ten champion to All-American in the 4x400-meter relay.
But five years earlier, Harmsen was in the same place, with a belief that his career was over.
"We weren't certain he was going to make the team when he came here," Michigan coach Fred LaPlante said.
After Harmsen redshirted his freshmen year, he continued to work hard despite the level of talent the Wolverines had in the 400-meter hurdles.
His efforts during his first season took him to the west coast once again. This time the destination was Carson, Calif., where he earned a spot in the 400-meter hurdles final at the 2005 U.S. Junior Championships. He finished eighth in the event but the exposure at the premier meet would jump-start his success in the Big Ten.
Harmsen's performances culminated in an amazing final year with the Wolverines. He earned a trip to Fayetteville, Ark. for the NCAA Championships with a season-best performance in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Mideast Regional (50.59) which was also enough to qualify him for the U.S. Nationals.
And for a coach who didn't think Harmsen would be on his roster, the marquee meet was a chance for the fifth-year senior to end his collegiate career with a couple of high notes.
"It's a nice ring to culminate his career," LaPlante said. "I don't think he intended on running after this, so his last race was the biggest race in America
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